Sugar Harvest Struggles in Santiago de Cuba: Dos Ríos Mill Hits Only 13% of Target

After 73 days into the sugar harvest in Santiago de Cuba, the Dos Ríos mill, located in Palma Soriano and the sole producer of raw sugar in the province for this season, has only reached 13% of its planned 20,811 tons. The mill's operation was delayed over 20 days due to a shortage of resources necessary for machinery setup. Once production began, it was plagued by inefficiency, achieving merely 23% of its milling capacity.

According to Luis Blanco Domínguez, the general director of the Dos Ríos Agroindustrial Sugar Company, the challenges stem from several issues: harvesting complications in nearby areas such as San Luis, Mella, and Contramaestre; transportation problems, particularly with railways; and a lack of both manual and mechanical cutting, impacting around 40% of the cane volume designated for processing. Additionally, breakdowns in the purification section, crucial for generating the steam needed for sugar crystallization, have been problematic. As a result, the factory is producing three times the expected amount of molasses due to inadequate steam.

A Sector in Urgent Need of Solutions

Efforts to improve the situation include enlisting experienced sugar workers from nearby municipalities and boosting steam flow with a transformer from Contramaestre. Despite the significant delays, the mill remains committed to producing 5,000 tons of raw sugar for the regulated family basket by May 30, as stated by Blanco Domínguez. However, as the harvest continues, the likelihood of meeting planned goals seems increasingly remote, leaving the sugar sector at a critical crossroads demanding immediate solutions.

Structural Crisis in the 2024-2025 Harvest

The 2024-2025 sugar season in Santiago de Cuba faces a myriad of challenges: fuel and lubricant shortages, restrictions on the National Electric System, frequent machinery breakdowns, and harvests hampered by inadequate equipment at collection centers. During a March visit, Yaritza Ravelo Vázquez, the company's Director of IT and Communication, highlighted that National Assembly President Esteban Lazo Hernández called for "greater diligence, order, and control" in a sector deemed vital for Cuba's economy.

Despite the dire circumstances, mill leaders insist on meeting their targets, acknowledging that it will require extraordinary efforts amid a backdrop of shortages, energy crises, and material scarcities affecting the country.

The Widespread Sugar Crisis in Cuba

In January, Cuba's sugar harvest was experiencing one of its most severe crises: out of 14 mills planned for the season, only six were operational. This critical situation was attributed to late starts and the absence of eight mills, which account for 75% of the sector's production deficit. The preparation of industries for milling was severely hindered by resource shortages. The energy crisis delayed repairs at mills, mechanical workshops, and cleaning centers, also limiting the production of necessary machinery parts.

It's important to note that the 2022-2023 harvest confirmed the regime's grim forecast, resulting in the worst sugar production since 1898, with only 350,000 tons—down from 300,000 tons produced during Cuba's War of Independence. This data underscores the severe regression of a sector that once positioned the island among the world's leading sugar exporters. In December 2023, the government admitted it is "shameful" that a country, traditionally one of Latin America's top sugar producers, now has to import sugar.